Meant To Be
by AprilLilypegasi
Summary: The hours tick by until Hong Kong's birthday, his seventeenth one to be exact. That normally wouldn't be an issue but in this world, if you don't find your soulmate by that birthday, you die. He's starting to get worried as it gets closer and closer to that time, but something happens that'll change his life. *Soulmate AU*


**Happy birthday Hong Kong and Canada! I couldn't finish a story for Mattie, so I'll dedicate this one to** him : **3 (Wanted to celebrate my own birthday today instead of force myself to write more :P)**

 **I don't own Hetalia**

 **Soulmate AUs Used: If you don't find your soulmate by your #th birthday, you die (Iceland - 16 Hong Kong turning 17 #=17)**  
 **A red string tied around your pinky is connected to your soulmate's pinky (when the two of you are in a certain distance)**

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"Maybe it just wasn't meant to be…" Leon mumbles to himself, sinking down onto a park bench. A quick glance at his watch shows that it's scant hours until his seventeenth birthday, one that spells tragedy for him.

Everyone in the world has a soulmate but a person reaches their seventeenth birthday without meeting their soulmate, they die. Sad fate, I know, but there's at least one good thing that's supposed to help find your soulmate. Whenever you get within a close radius of your soulmate, a red string will appear around your pinky finger, connecting to the soulmate's pinky.

However, Leon has not yet seen that precious red string, so therein lies a problem. "What if my soulmate isn't even in Hong Kong? I'll never get to meet them…" He mutters sadly, staring up at the sky.

The brunet watches the sky for a while before glancing back at his watch, sighing when he realizes that most of his time has gone. It's now a mere thirty minutes before his birthday strikes…

Deciding to not sit here and mope any longer, he stands up and begins walking back home, thinking it better that he gets to see his family once again before his end. His feet lead him along a different path than he would normally take, when his ears pick up the sounds of fighting.

Getting curious, he follows the sounds, them leading him to a pale figure kneeling on the ground surrounded by four men much larger than him. "He's not fighting back…" Leon mumbles, slinking into the shadows to best figure out how to help this poor boy.

His eyes fall upon an empty can on the ground and he throws it hard against a nearby wall, the sound causing the attackers to freeze. Then, in a threatening voice, he speaks in Cantonese, " **Leave the kid alone. He's not worth it.** "

One of the four flee in response and the other three just laugh, " **Why should we? He's defenseless**."

Leon just scowls at that, " **That may be so, but is he really worth attacking? Worth going to jail for?** " Another flees at the thought of getting in trouble by law, the other two scoffing at the coward.

" **That only matters if we were to get caught.** " The leader states and Leon just smirks slightly, knowing he'd be able to take both of them now.

He flings himself out of the shadows and quickly knocks out the leader, eyes narrowing in warning to the final, who decides to just flee instead of fighting him.

Nodding in triumph, Leon looks at the other boy, "Are you alright?" He asks in English, knowing it's likely something the other can speak.

"Yeah...Thanks. I wouldn't have been able to face them alone…" The boy says, looking up and locking eyes with Leon.

'They're violet...Such a pretty shade…' The words filter through Leon's mind, him shaking them off before offering a hand to the boy.

"Where you heading? I'll walk you. Make sure you stay out of trouble." Leon says with a hint of amusement, only then noticing how the other is staring at his left hand.

His eyes follow the boy's gaze, widening at the fact that there's a thin red string wrapped around his pinky finger. "They're nearby…" He whispers, almost inaudibly, as his eyes follow the path of the string.

Leon lets out a soft gasp when he realizes that it leads him to the boy in front of him, "So, it's you…" He states quietly, helping the boy to his feet.

"What's your name, cutie?" Leon asks, his lips quirking when a red blush spreads across the boy's face.

"I'm Emil. Emil Steilsson. And you?"

"Pretty name. I'm Li Xiao Chun, though I go by Leon."

Emil just smiles lightly at the compliment, "So, could you walk me to my hotel?"

"Sure, that'd be, like, amazing~!" Hong Kong says a bit more excitably at the thought of spending more time with the albino.

Emil tells him the name of his hotel and they head off, Leon keeping his hand held in Emil's, not wanting anything else to happen to the boy.

"So, where are you from?" Leon asks, "You don't look like a local." He adds to Emil's questioning gaze.

"I'm from Iceland, its capital actually, Reykjavik. Came here since I wanted to get away from my brothers for a bit and this seemed like the perfect place to come. Guess it was fated." Emil chuckles a bit, Leon joining in.

"Yeah, guess so. So, you have brothers? Tell me about them." Leon commands, already wanting to know everything about the Icelandic boy.

"So, one of them is my biological brother but the other three are close enough to be my brothers…" Emil begins, telling him all about each of his brothers.

Leon listens attentively as they walk, him frowning slightly when he recognizes the close proximity to Emil's hotel. They slow when they approach the hotel before stopping in front of it, neither really wanting to leave each other.

"You could, uh, come up to my room if you'd like." Emil states shyly and Leon grins, nodding his head.

"Yeah, that'd be totally fabulous! Lemme just text my older brother first to let him know." Emil nods and Leon pulls out his phone, already opening up a text to Yao.

 **12:03 A.M. - To: Yao**

 _Hey, brother. I found my soulmate, just in case you were worried. I'll spend some more time with him before coming home._

It doesn't take long to receive a message back from Yao, congratulating him on finding his soulmate and okaying the visit. Leon just smiles, sliding his phone back into his pocket as he turns to Emil, "Everything's okay. Let's go up."

Emil nods, leading the other inside and over to the elevator. Once they reach Emil's room, they sit on the bed together, both continuing their conversation.

Emil ends up asking about Leon's brother and other siblings, Leon talking about them much like Emil did earlier. When he finishes the most important information, Leon flops back onto the bed, sighing softly in relief as it hits him just how close he had been to dying.

"What's wrong?" Emil asks, his eyebrows creased in worry at the sigh.

"Oh...Forgot you didn't know… It's, um, actually my birthday as of thirty minutes ago." Leon says, a light blush appearing on his face in embarrassment that he's admitting how close he had been to leaving Emil without a soulmate.

Emil's eyebrow furrow in confusion before raising as his eyes widen when it clicks in exactly what Leon meant by that, "You mean, you just turned seventeen?" Leon nods and Emil gasps lightly, pulling Leon up and flinging his arms around him.

"I'm so glad I thought to come here…" Emil mumbles into Leon's shoulder, the older boy wrapping his arms around the younger. "What if I hadn't…?"

"Don't think like that. You came here because you felt like it was the best place, right?" Emil nods and Leon smiles, "Exactly. It was fate's doing that you meet me before my birthday, so everything's okay. We can't be separated now." Leon begins to rub Emil's shoulders, the smaller boy relaxing at the soothing gesture.

"Yeah, but I can't help but think that if I didn't come and you never heard them ganging up on me…" Emil starts but is interrupted by Leon leaning forward and quickly kissing his cheek, effectively shutting up the Icelandic.

"Like I said, it's totally in the past. Just be happy we're together." Emil nods, eyes flicking down to the bed shyly.

"U-um...Could you kiss me?" Emil stutters, Leon's eyes lighting up at the request.

"Of course! That'd be totally amazing~!" Leon announces, pulling Emil a bit closer and tilting his head upwards.

He then starts to lean forward until their lips meet, both boys shutting their eyes. They melt into the feeling but break the kiss after a few moments, wanting to keep it chaste.

"That was nice…" Emil mutters with a soft blush, causing Leon to chuckle softly and nod.

"It was." His phone then beeps and he scowls, "Ah...I guess I need to head home now…"

Emil deflates at that but Leon pecks his lips again, "Cheer up. I'll see you tomorrow. Or I guess later today…"

"Here." Emil says, "Before you go." He rummages around in the nightstand for a post-it note and a pen, quickly jotting something down before handing it over.

Leon opens the note and smiles, "I'll text you tomorrow then. We can plan something then, kay?" Emil nods and pecks Leon one more time before allowing the older to leave.

Leon starts to head home with just one thought on his mind, 'Best birthday _ever._ '

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 **Thanks for reading! :D**


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